Powder dispenser with a reciprocating valve having laterally extending bristles



g 19, 1952 v v 'A. D. KEENE, JR 2,607,514

POWDER DISPENSER WITH A RECIPROCATING VALVE HAVING LATERALLY EXTENDING BRISTLES Filed May 7. 194a Patented Aug. 19,1952

. POWDER DISPENSER WITH A RECIPROCAT-I V INGVALVE HAVING LATERALLY EXTEND- ING BRISTLES' Alvin D. Keene, Jr., Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Rochester Germicide Company, Rochester,

Y., a corporation of New York ' V Application May 7, 1948, 'Serial No. 25,590

' I This invention relates to a dispenser and particularly to a dispenser for powdered soap and the like. r r

A satisfactory dispenser for powdered soap should discharge a measured quantity of the powder during-each cycle of operation. It should permit no leakage of powder when the dispenser is idle and it should have no point in its cycle of operation wherein a continuous stream of powder is permitted to flow therefrom.

In accordance with the main feature of the present inventionthere is provided a dispenser which satisfies the mentioned requirements, which is simple in construction and which affords reliable operation over long periods of use. Another feature of the invention relates to a dispenser provided with a reciprocating valve unit including one or more fibrous members for permitting 'and stopping the flow of the powder through an opening in a container forming a part of the dispenser. 1 v

A further feature of the invention relates to brushlike members which are movable toward and away from an opening in the powder container to =discharge a given quantity of the powder. I 4 r Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description and claims when taken with the drawings in which: a I

'Figql is a partial vertical section of the dispenser of 'the present invention with the several parts thereof intheir normal oridle position wherein no powder is discharged; I

' g. '2 is a similar partial vertical section of the dispenser with'the parts thereof in their operated position wherein a measured quantity of powder can be discharged therefrom; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing especially the lower brushlikemember which serves to prevent the dis charge of powder from the dispenser during the normal or idle condition thereof. The dispenser comprises a shell having vertical side Walls 5 and a bottom 6 sloping to a central opening 1 therein. This container is preferably held in an upright position by a bracket 8 which is fastened by'mounting screws such as 9 to a vertical support.

Within the shell there is provided a funnel II with its large end extending upward where it terminates in a vertical annular rim l2. This rim is of such size that it can be secured in close contact with the inner wall of the shell so that no powder can leak therebetween. The funnel 4 Claims. (Cl.'222230) I i except for a horizontally extending annular shoulder l3 tapers to a vertically extending chamber I4 havin a'bottomoutlet which is located above and in vertical alinement with the opening 1 in the bottom of the shell. The'upper part of the shell together with funnel ll constitutes a container for the powder to be dispensed. The top of the shell is open for replenishing the supply of powder therein but is normally closed by a removable cover l5.

The discharge of powder from the container is controlled by a valve unit comprising a vertical rod l6 adapted to reciprocate as will be set forth. The lower end of this rod has mounted thereon a tapered plug l1 adapted to mate with the lower end of the outlet M as best shown in Fig. l. Preferably the plug is of greater diameter than the outlet so that even if these parts become worn by the passage of the powder therebetween, they will continue to seat tightly. A conical coiled spring I8 has its apex pinned to the upper end of the rod l6 while the base of this spring engages the annular shoulder l3. This spring tends to hold the rod in its upper position (Fig. 1) wherein the plug l'l seats on the lower end of the outlet [4. The plug is unseated to permit the discharge of powder; by means of a lever 19 having one of its ends pivoted on a lug 20 secured to the inner wall of the bottom 6 of the shell; The other'end ofthe lever projects as a handle 2| through a slot 22 in the bottom 6 and in the lower margin ofthe side wall 5 of the shell.- The length of the slot 22 is such that'it limits the stroke'o'f the lever to the position shown in Figs. 1 and .2. The lower end of the rod 16 carries a pin 23 which engages an elongated slot 24 in an' intermediate portion-of the lever I9. This pin and slot connection insure that the plug I! will readily mate with the outlet [4 when the valve unit is restored to its normal or idle position shown in Fig; 1, after this unit has been moved by the handle 2l to its discharge position shown in Fig. 2. Since the valve unit is centered in theoutlet l4 bythe pin 23, by the conical spring l8 and=by the plug t1,- enough'lateral movement of rod I6 is permitted to allow this rod to tilt in such a manner that a piece of hard material in the powder when lodged between the edge of the outlet and plug will not prevent a tight seal at other points between the plug and the edge of the outlet. In this manner leakage of powder is prevented when the dispenser is idle. k

The valve unit also includes a lower fibrous disk 25 which encircles the rod lB and whic'h rests on the top of the plug H, the disk being of a size to engage snugly the inner wall of the outlet 14. Preferably the disk is in the form of abrush with the free end of its bristles engaging the mentioned wall of the outlet. The valve unit also includes a second or upper fibrous disk 21 of like construction as but of greater thickness than the'first disk 25. The second disk also encircles the rod I6 and is separated from the first disk by a tapered spacer 28. A collar 29 which is pinned to the rod I6, holds the two disks with the spacer 28 therebetween, in close relation to the top of the plug II. The length of the tapered spacer 28 is such that the distance between the lower disk 25 and the upper disk 21 is slightly less than the length of the outlet 14. Thuswhen the valve unit is pulled down by the lever l9 y when its handle 2! is depressed, the tapered plug l1 unseals the bottom of the outlet but the disk.

25 prevents powder from sifting through the outlet until the lever I9 is moved downward sufficiently for the lower disk 25 to clear the lower edge of the outlet Hi. As'the lower diskunsjeals the bottom of the outlet, the upper disk 21 enters the top of the outlet andseals off-the upper end thereof. Consequently only the powder contained in the annular space bounded by the upper and lower disk 2'! and 25 and by the taperedspacer and the inner wall of the outlet, is permitted to discharge with each successive downward movement of the handle 2]. The powder in discharging falls by gravity over the tapered plug and out of the opening I in the bottom of the shell. When the handle 2| is released, the conical SpIlng l8 returns the valve unit to the idle position shown in Fig. l which is the beginning of the cycle of operation. In this position the disk 21 is moved away from the top of the outletso hat the annular space around the spacer 28 can be filled by descending powder. It should be pointed out that the conical spring i8 as it iscompressed and released during each cycleof operation serves to agitate the powder thereby preventing it from becoming caked in the container. The fibrous disks or brushes 25 and 27 also wipe the inner wall of the outlet [4 to clear away any powder that might tend to adhere thereto. It should be mentioned that the fibrous disksor brushes have greater resistance towear than would be the case wheretwo metal surfaces engage each other. With two contacting metal surfaces any grit in the powderwould tendto erode these surfaces rather quickly so that an effective seal between these parts could not long be maintained. When, however, oneof the surfaces is of metal and the other surface is of fibrous or springy material such as the bristles stood that there can be many variations and modifications in the dispenser, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a dispenser for. powderedmaterial, a container-having a funnel-like bottom terminating at its lower end in a cylinder constituting a discharge outlet, a reciprocating valve unit inof a brush, abrasion does not take place readily v and if there is such wear the resilient fibers or bristles tend to compensate for. this wear. Consequently the dispenser does not leak powder as is the case, when contacting metal surfaces are relied upon to prevent the fiow of powder Fure thermore in thedispenser of the present invention a small hard chunk of powder will not prevent the disc from closing to shut oif the fiow of powder, since the chunk can embed itself into the bristles of the disc. This is in contrast to conventional dispensers wherein a chunk of powder can lodge between the solid disc and the spout-of the dispenser, thereby preventing the disc from closing so that powder can flow continuously.

The present disclosure of the dispenser isgiven merely by way of example and it will be undereluding two members, each member being in the shape of a disk and having bristles radiating outward in a direction adapted to engage the inner surface of'said cylinder, said bristles being of a length to permit a caked chunk of powder to'be embedded therein, said members being mounted in spaced relation a distance apart approximately equal to the length of said cylinder to provide therebetween a space for powder, means for maintaining said valve unit in its idle position in which a first one of said members engages the bottom end of said cylinder to close the same and in which the'second member-is disengaged from the other end'of said cylinder to open the same for the admission of powder thereto, and means for moving the valve unit to its alternate position in which the second member closes said cylinder from said container and. the first member opens the bottom end of said cylinder. 7 V

2. In a dispenser for powderedmateriaLa container having a funnel-like bottom terminatin at its lower end in a cylinder open at its bottom end to constitute a'discharge outlet, areciprocate ing valve unit including a rod provided with two members each having bristles of a length to engage the inner surface of said cylinder and to permit a caked chunk of powder to be embedded therein, said member being mountedin spaced relation a distance apart approximately-equal to the length of said cylinder to 'providetherebetween a space for powder, a spirally wound conical spring having its apex secured to one end of said rod and having its base supported on said. bottom, said spring serving to maintain said valve unit in its idle position in which a first one ;of said members engages the bottom end of. said cylinder to close the same and in which the second member is disengaged from theother end of said cylinder to open the same for the admission of powder thereto, a tapered plug secured to the other end of said rod in adjacent relation to said first member with the tapered surface ofsaid plug engaging the bottom edge of said cylinder in the idle position of said unit, andmeans for moving the valve unit to its alternate position in which the second member closessaid cylinder from said container while the first member and said plug open the free end of said cylinder.

3. In a dispenser for powdered material. a shell comprising a container having a funnellike bottom terminating at its lower end-in a cylinder open at its bottom end to constitute. ;a discharge outlet, a reciprocating valve unit including a vertically movable rod provided with twodisk members of a thickness to prevent the passage of powder therethrough, each member having bristles radiating from said rod and being of a length to engage the inner surface of said cylinder and to be displaced by a caked chunk of powder, said members being mounted on said rod a distance apart approximately equal to the length of said cylinder to provide therebetween a space for powder, said unit also including a tapered plug secured to the lower end of said rod adjacent one of said members with the tapered surface of said plug adapted to engage the bottom edge of said cylinder, a spirally wound conical spring having its apex secured to the upper end of said rod and having its base firmly supported on said bottom, said spring serving to maintain said valve unit in its, idle position in which the first one of said members and said plug engage the bottom end of said cylinder to close the same and in which the second member is disengaged from the other end of said cylinder to open the same for the admission of powder thereto, and means for moving the valve unit to its alternate position in which the second member closes said cylinder from said container and the first member as well as the plug opens the free end of said cylinder, said means comprising a lever having one end thereof pivoted on said shell and having its other end projecting beyond said shell to serve as a handle, and a loose connection between the lower end of said rod and an intermediate part of said lever.

4. In a dispenser for powdered material, a container having a bottom chamber terminating at its lower end in a discharge outlet, and a reciproeating valve unit including a stopper, said stopper having thereon laterally extending bristles having their ends movable out of engagement with and into engagement with the inner wall of said chamber to open and close the outlet, said bristles being long enough to permit a caked chunk of powder to be embedded therein.

ALVIN D. KEENE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 159,939 Lawrence et a1 Feb. 16, 1875 291,135 Bennett Jan. 1, 1884 427,165 Tickett May 6, 1890 1,089,097 Wideman Mar. 3, 1914 1,110,135 Henderson Sept. 8, 1914 1,189,578 Kelly July 4, 1916 1,371,343 Bow Mar. 15, 1921 2,122,216 Seawell June 28, 1938 2,148,736 Engel Feb. 28, 1939 

